Thoughts
Members Over Metrics
Somewhere along the way, strategy got complicated. Charts replaced conversations. Growth targets overshadowed service improvements. And, too often, members — the people who own the
Lean Strategy, Bold Growth
In credit unions, strategy can feel like art—different each year, built from intuition, colored by market guesswork, and driven by a committee of well-meaning collaborators.
Sustainable Growth: How Credit Unions Can Expand Without Losing Their Identity
Growth is exciting: it’s the mark of a thriving credit union. But let’s be real: growing the wrong way can be just as dangerous as
AI Won’t Take Your Job, But It Will Take Your Excuses
By now, you’ve heard the hype. You’ve probably even experimented with ChatGPT or explored how AI can automate some back-office workflows. But let me be
Strategic Blind Spots: What You Don’t See Can Stall Your Growth
Most credit unions don’t suffer from lack of effort. They stumble from well-intentioned tunnel vision. Strategy is often assumed to be handled: a few planning
Leadership Blind Spots: The Growth Risk You Don’t See Coming
In an industry built on trust, transformation, and service, the greatest threat to progress may be hiding in plain sight—inside the executive suite. While financial
Service Blind Spots: The Silent Killer of Future Business
It’s easy for leadership teams to assume service is strong—until they dig deeper and realize the member experience isn’t keeping pace with expectations or competition.
Why the Best Don’t Blink: The Strength of Strategic Commitment
Agility. Pivoting. Disruption. These buzzwords make headlines—but they don’t build sustainable growth. While everyone else chases the next shiny object, smart leaders ask a better
Built to Evolve: Six Moves That Make Transformation Stick
Transformation isn’t a side project; it’s survival strategy. Credit unions that want to stay relevant, resilient, and ridiculously valuable have to move beyond the status
Break the Routine, Build the Future: How Credit Unions Make Innovation Stick
Innovation doesn’t happen by accident—or in between back-to-back Zoom calls and inbox cleanouts. If credit unions want to stay competitive, relevant, and member-obsessed, they need
The Four Power Plays of Strategy: Future-Proofing Your Credit Union
Strategic planning isn’t just about playing defense; it’s about making bold, calculated moves that secure your credit union’s relevance, resilience, and growth. The financial services
Strategy is Not Science
In the world of strategic planning, there’s often a strong pull toward precision — toward forecasting models, data points, and algorithms that promise to predict
Money Smarts: A 20-Year-Old’s Guide to Financial Reality
Alright, folks—normally, you’d hear from me, talking about high-performance results, strategy, and leadership in financial services. But let’s switch things up. Instead of another deep
So, Now You’re CEO: Building Confidence in Your Leadership
As a first-time credit union CEO, you are now responsible for leading your organization, inspiring your team, and creating value for your members. While excitement
Finish. Start. Research: A Framework for 90-Day Strategic Sprints
A disciplined approach to strategic execution can make the difference between thriving and merely surviving. The 90-day strategic sprint, guided by the cycle of “Finish.
Pre-Planning Questions for Credit Union CEOs
Regardless of your season for annual strategic planning, there is a new perspective that can transform this annual exercise from a recharge of last year’s
Strategic Measures of Success
Strategic planning is such an informative, worthwhile, and significant process. It allows a credit union to consider long term objectives, discuss the most pertinent trends,
AI and the Credit Union Edge: Transforming Member Engagement and Growth
In the rapidly evolving landscape of retail and financial services, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword; it is a transformative tool shaping